GS - Strategy + Branding + Marketing + Digitalhttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/24
Notes and news, insights and inspiration from the autonomous collective mind of GS.enMake It Accessible Not Just Responsivehttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/make-it-accessible-not-just-responsive
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-header-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/blog/headers/accessible_not_just_responsive.jpg" alt="Make It Accessible Not Just Responsive" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p><strong>“The Web is fundamentally designed to work for all people, whatever their hardware, software, language, culture, location, or physical or mental ability.”</strong></p>
<p>That statement from <a href="http://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility">W3C</a> has been rolling around in my head. With it in mind, it’s hard to make a case for designing something that excludes a user group, no matter how small. Responsive web design (RWD) gets us part of the way there by allowing users access to content across devices. But shouldn’t our goal be true access no matter the user’s ability or the technology they use?</p>
<p><strong>I propose we advance the conversation beyond making a website “responsive” to making it “accessible.”</strong></p>
<p>Accessibility is most commonly associated with making sure that a website can be used by those with disabilities. However, like RWD, it’s a way of opening up content to as many people as possible.</p>
<p>RWD and accessibility don’t just make it easier for those with unique needs. For example, designing with mobile in mind helps not only those users whose only internet access is on their phone but also desktop users – and potentially older users – by simplifying content and interactions. Also, designing with simple, high-contrast text helps in readability for all users no matter if they have a visual impairment or not.</p>
<p>The argument that users with unique needs aren’t the target user just doesn’t hold up on closer inspection. Take, for example, that visually impaired user who might be shopping for a gift or that farsighted user sitting down to read their emails only to realize they left their glasses at home. While designing for accessibility can be hard to keep as a project priority, it’s a priority for those who rely on it.</p>
<p>I’m not suggesting that every website needs to be optimized for every person’s unique needs. We need to obviously prioritize user types and design with those people in mind. But the question we have to ask is whether we can do something for those with unique needs that enhances their experience or at least doesn’t make their experience worse.</p>
<p><strong>Responsive design is only one of the tools we can use to open up content to others.</strong></p>
<p>The definition of RWD has been analyzed, discussed, and critiqued ad nauseum these past few years. According to <a href="http://www.nngroup.com/articles/responsive-web-design-definition/">Amy Schade</a> of Nielsen Norman Group <em>“Responsive web design (RWD) is a web development approach that creates dynamic changes to the appearance of a website, depending on the screen size and orientation of the device being used to view it.”</em> I think this definition does a perfect job of highlighting RWD for what it is … a tool to make a website more accessible across different hardware and software.</p>
<p>To learn more about other techniques available for making web content more accessible check out these links:<br />
Wikipedia – <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_accessibility">Web Accessibility</a><br />
Lighthouse International – <a href="http://www.lighthouse.org/accessibility/design/web/">Accessibility Guidelines for the Web Designer</a><br />
W3C – <a href="https://www.w3.org/standards/webdesign/accessibility">Accessibility</a><br />
W3C – <a href="http://www.w3.org/WAI/WCAG20/quickref/Overview.php#keyboard-operation">How to Meet WCAG 2.0</a></p>
<p>Whether you use “responsive” or “accessible” to describe the process you take for making your web content available to more people, keep in mind that designing for multiple devices is only one of the things to consider. Each user comes with their own unique needs, as well.</p>
<p><strong>What are you are doing to open up the web to as many people as possible, whatever their ability, screen size, or situation?</strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/development">Development</a>, <a href="/blog/category/usability">Usability</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/responsive-layout">responsive layout</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/accessibility">accessibility</a></div></div>Thu, 19 Mar 2015 15:46:41 +0000Bob Prohaska801 at https://www.gsdesign.comAnd Now for Something Completely Differenthttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/and-now-something-completely-different
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-header-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/blog/headers/GS-Blog-capture.jpg" alt="GS Work We Love" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Pardon the interruption, but we wanted to take a few seconds to tell you that GS has launched a new blog.</p>
<p>The new blog will share creative work that inspires us (and, we hope, you) and complement the strategic insights shared on our existing blog.</p>
<p>Two GS blogs, nourishing both sides of your brain.</p>
<p>Enjoy:</p>
<p><a href="http://gsworkwelove.tumblr.com/" target="_blank">http://gsworkwelove.tumblr.com/</a></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/gs">GS</a>, <a href="/blog/category/inspiration">Inspiration</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/tumblr">Tumblr</a></div></div>Fri, 20 Feb 2015 01:33:44 +0000Jay Sanders798 at https://www.gsdesign.comHow to Go Beyond Functional and Usable to Exceptionalhttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/how-go-beyond-functional-and-usable-exceptional
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-header-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/blog/headers/when_functional_0.jpg" alt="How to Go Beyond Functional and Usable to Exceptional" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>A recent experience got me thinking about when functionality and usability just aren’t enough. How do we ensure that the thing we are designing moves beyond usable into something exceptional?</p>
<p><strong>Case in point: Behold, the simple joy of a sailboat icon. </strong></p>
<p>Before the advent of the mobile phone, I used a standard 8.5 x 11 month-view paper calendar to keep track of everything. Now I am a self-diagnosed calendar app addict. I have probably burned through a couple dozen over the years. Simply being able to manage events and review my schedule are pretty much all I need. Thinking back, nearly all of the calendar apps I tried were just fine functionally. Some of them were even pretty usable.</p>
<p><span id="styles-9-0" class="styles file-styles original"> <img class="media-image" style="width: 40%; float: right; margin: 0.5em 0px 1em 1em;;;;;" id="2" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/sunrise-calendar.png" /></span>One of the calendar apps was Sunrise Calendar. This app was nicely designed and had all of the functionality I came to expect from a calendar app, with the exception of one revolutionary thing … a sailboat icon. Like I said, I have simple needs, so let me explain why this sailboat icon was so interesting. This past September I made plans to go sailing with a friend. We decided the upcoming Saturday would work best, so I plugged it into Sunrise Calendar with the event title “Sailing with Joe.” That week ended up being hectic, and I all but forgot about our planned sailing excursion. Friday afternoon I pulled up my calendar only to find “Sailing with Joe” with a little sailboat icon next to it. I didn’t have to add the icon. It provided almost no functional value. But it was a nice surprise, and it changed my mood in a way that pure text never would have. This app provided me with something so small and unexpected that it made me want to use it more. During my time using this app I was presented with a variety of icons, including a gift for birthdays, a coffee cup for coffee meetings, and many more. I no longer use Sunrise Calendar, but I still think about how that one little thing changed my mood that day.</p>
<p><strong>How do we provide our users/customers with something that is not just usable but also exceptional? Provide a sporadic emotional tug.</strong></p>
<p>The first step is to understand a user’s feelings and not just their needs.</p>
<p>I don’t know if the Sunrise Calendar app developer specifically thought, “I bet some guy is going to be having a rough afternoon. This sailboat icon will brighten his day right up.” But it is worth spending the time to ask users what they are doing, how they are doing it, and how they are feeling at the time. These insights could highlight opportunities to not only help someone with a task but ideally affect someone in a positive way.</p>
<p>It is true that a functional and usable design is successful when it gets out of the way of the user. However, in my opinion, a design is only <em>exceptional</em> when it gets out of the way of the user AND includes a sporadic emotional tug that leaves a lasting impression.</p>
<p>What do you think? How does an experience go beyond usable to exceptional for you?</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/usability">Usability</a></div></div>Mon, 26 Jan 2015 20:59:54 +0000Bob Prohaska797 at https://www.gsdesign.comNine Animated GIFs That Will Meet All of Your Workplace Needshttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/nine-animated-gifs-will-meet-all-your-workplace-needs
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>In writing, there’s nothing I value more than simple, concise language that leads to complex ideas. That’s why I love the use of a GIF (in my mind, always with a hard “G”) to respond or react to something. You can express feelings and thoughts without uttering a word. In the workplace, there are plenty of GIFs that speak to the heart and won’t let you down when the need arises.</p>
<p><span id="styles-0-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/CBmNufP.gif?itok=SiyR4vRc" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The You-Said-What-I-Was-Thinking-During-a-Meeting</strong></p>
<p>Sometimes all you need is Robert Redford to affirm the words of a coworker.</p>
<p><span id="styles-1-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/MichealJacksonPopcorn.gif?itok=Su6wuPlM" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The Sit-Back-and-Watch-Email-Drama</strong></p>
<p>It’s a classic GIF for a reason. Sometimes you just need to sit back and watch the fireworks.</p>
<p><span id="styles-2-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/jennifer-lawrence-10.gif?itok=omPED502" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The You-Don’t-Know-What-You’re-Talking-About</strong></p>
<p>It can get a little awkward when you catch someone making incorrect claims. It gets more awkward when they keep going and act as if they’re speaking truth rather than admitting a wrong. Sometimes you need Jennifer to speak for you.</p>
<p><span id="styles-3-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/AD-Animated-gif-arrested-development-3695387-243-141.gif?itok=D0Hol0BC" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The Who-Wants-to-Answer-the-Client’s-Question</strong></p>
<p>The entire team feels confident in answering a tense and difficult question from the client. Now comes the hard part: Who’s jumping in and answering?</p>
<p><span id="styles-4-0" class="styles file-styles original"> <img class="media-image" id="2" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/frnXxyMh.jpg" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The Website-Launch</strong></p>
<p>The team gathers, the button is pressed, and your creation is unleashed to the world. Finally! Now show them your excitement by going super-Saiyan!</p>
<p><span id="styles-5-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/original%20%281%29.gif?itok=4cp5C1Ay" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The Client-Agreed-to-Our-Idea</strong></p>
<p>Holy hell, it’s happening! It’s happening!</p>
<p><span id="styles-6-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Unsure-Larry-David.gif?itok=GorFFklQ" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The Both-Creatives-Made-Beautiful-Work</strong></p>
<p>Two creatives enter the ring and come out with amazing work. You like the work of both and understand the design rationale. You’re left looking conflicted and without a decisive answer.</p>
<p><span id="styles-7-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/CyALJ.gif?itok=Wp3TIK1R" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The Too-Many-Cooks-in-the-Kitchen-Meeting</strong></p>
<p>You try to stay attentive, but the meeting continues to spiral into nonsense. You feel lost, and the only thing you have left is to try and look engaged. Keyword? Try.</p>
<p><span id="styles-8-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/XJyGY.gif?itok=MMCxpNb7" /></span></p>
<p><strong>The You-Did-Awesome-Work-Once-Again</strong></p>
<p>The power of a compliment is mighty. Work with someone who did great work? Show appreciation. Show them Chow Yun Fat. Afterward, celebrate together by watching <em>Hard Boiled.</em></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/gs">GS</a>, <a href="/blog/category/inspiration">Inspiration</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/gif">GIF</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/animated">animated</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/workplace">workplace</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/list">list</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/funny">funny</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/humorous">humorous</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/joke">joke</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/parody">parody</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/buzzfeed">buzzfeed</a></div></div>Tue, 09 Dec 2014 16:54:14 +0000Carey Peck796 at https://www.gsdesign.comShould We Publish Our Magazine Via a Native Tablet App or the Web?https://www.gsdesign.com/blog/should-we-publish-our-magazine-native-tablet-app-or-web
<div class="field field-name-field-blog-header-image field-type-image field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"><img src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/blog/headers/app-vs-web.jpg" alt="App or Web?" /></div></div></div><div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>If you’re asking this question, you’re not alone. It’s one we get asked from time to time, based on our work in publishing print magazines, a tablet magazine, and other digital storytelling. The answer for you depends on many factors, particularly your goals, audiences, strategy, and budget. </p>
<p>Generally, though, in our experience, <em>if your brand must choose one or the other</em>, the benefits of web-based engagement outweigh those of publishing via a native app. Here’s why …</p>
<p><strong>ALL HAIL THE MIGHTY TABLET MAGAZINE … OR NOT </strong></p>
<p>When tablet magazines were introduced following the launch of the iPad in 2010, they were novel and oh-so-shiny, and hailed as the savior-to-be of the magazine publishing industry. Yet, as the tablet medium and the social web have continued to evolve over the past few years, the challenges for tablet app magazines have become evident. Industry debate continues over their future potential; while some believe tablet magazines are stagnating and will continue to do so, others continue to invest in optimizing the experience. </p>
<p>On the upside, a straight-up tablet “replica” edition of an existing publication – one without significant design enhancements or “bells and whistles” – is simple to produce and relatively inexpensive. Even well-designed tablet magazines with additional interactive features (and additional investment, of course) can create highly engaging, immersive user experiences while remaining relatively cost-efficient. With focus on a user-centric interactive experience and enough promotion, a tablet magazine can still be an effective tool to highly engage a (usually relatively small) percentage of a brand’s audience, as originally envisioned. </p>
<p>Quantitatively, the overall trends are not crystal clear. Publishers using iOS magazine apps have seen download numbers shrinking of late; with iOS 7.1, released in March, Apple introduced even more restrictions on when a device can receive an auto-download. As Mike Haney, cofounder of Mag +, wisely points out in his article <a href="http://www.minonline.com/minsiders/Mike-Haney/Your-Download-Numbers-Suck-And-Thats-A-Good-Thing_24357.html#.VFfItvTF-oV" target="_blank">“Your Download Numbers Suck and That’s a Good Thing</a><a href="http://www.minonline.com/minsiders/Mike-Haney/Your-Download-Numbers-Suck-And-Thats-A-Good-Thing_24357.html#.VFfItvTF-oV" target="_blank">,</a><a href="http://www.minonline.com/minsiders/Mike-Haney/Your-Download-Numbers-Suck-And-Thats-A-Good-Thing_24357.html#.VFfItvTF-oV" target="_blank">”</a> this just means that download numbers are now a closer reflection of who is actually actively downloading a publication. (Hint: It’s probably not as many people as you thought.) However, data on actual downloads for various magazine titles is scarce; as the Magazine Publishers Association told us via email: “Measurement by device for editions is evolving. Much of it has been hampered by the limits of what data publishers can currently legally track, monitor and collect without violating consumer privacy laws and regulations.” There’s some good data available from the <a href="http://auditedmedia.com/news/blog/2014/august/top-25-us-consumer-magazines-for-june-2014.aspx" target="_blank">Alliance for Audited Media on total digital replica circulation</a>, but it’s not tablet-specific. </p>
<p>Nonetheless, based on the data available and the reasoning that follows, in our opinion, the bottom line for brands contemplating this channel tradeoff is this: Unless your tablet experience is going to be all caps, bold <strong>EXTRAORDINARY</strong>, it’s likely to be an uphill battle to generate significant, consistent interest in it. And the main reason is painfully simple: There are just easier ways for your audience to get excellent, well-presented content. </p>
<p><strong>WEB STORYTELLING HAS COME A LONG WAY, BABY</strong></p>
<p>The best of stories published via the web have become far more simple, far more beautiful, and far more engaging. Publishers, such as the <em>New York Times </em>and many others, have created robust in-house content studios that are leading the way. Look, for example, at the gorgeous <a href="http://paidpost.nytimes.com/cole-haan/grit-and-grace.html?_r=0" target="_blank">“Grit and Grace”</a> story the <em>New York Times</em> recently produced, sponsored by Cole Haan. Brands like Red Bull (<a href="http://www.redbulletin.com/us/us" target="_blank">see RedBulletin.com</a>) are leading the way in gorgeous, exciting, simple-to-use storytelling on the web. </p>
<p>A recent Digiday article, <a href="http://digiday.com/publishers/can-magazines-fix-tablet-problem/" target="_blank">“The Tablet Magazine Has Been Flawed From the Start,”</a> by Ricardo Bilton, sums it up brilliantly: “What we’re seeing today is that people are accustomed to using the web to acquire content that happens to be free, and using apps because they want to do something. Tablet magazines, generally speaking, don’t do anything except show content that I can get somewhere else with less hassle and cost. The web is doing a really great job at curating content and giving people choices, and that’s not how the technology behind tablets is being deployed. Also, tablets have web browsers, and those web browsers have HTML content that for the most part does a perfectly good job of presenting the content.”</p>
<p><strong>WHY WEB PUBLISHING WINS </strong></p>
<p>In an either/or scenario, web-based publishing has several major, clear strengths over a tablet magazine published via a native app …</p>
<p><strong>Highest Potential Reach</strong>:<strong> </strong>The <em>potential</em> reach of web-based magazine stories includes the 87% of Americans (source: <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/files/2014/02/PIP_25th-anniversary-of-the-Web_022714_pdf.pdf" target="_blank">Pew Research, The Web at 25 in the U.S.</a>) and 39% of people globally who use the Internet (source: <a href="http://www.internetworldstats.com/stats.htm" target="_blank">internetworldstats.com</a>). This is potentially twice the reach of an app-based tablet magazine, which includes only the 42% of Americans (source: <a href="http://www.pewinternet.org/fact-sheets/mobile-technology-fact-sheet/">Pew Internet Research Project Mobile Technology Fact Sheet</a>) and the 20% of people globally (source: Statista, 2014) who own tablets. One <a href="http://www.mequoda.com/free-reports/mequoda-tablet-study/" target="_blank">tablet study, from Mequoda</a> found that just 23% of tablet users read magazines on their tablet monthly; just 6% do so daily. Essentially, tablet magazines have the potential to reach a fraction of a fraction of the eyeballs reading digital content. That’s not always “bad” if those eyeballs are glued deeply to your mag, but for most brands it’s something to seriously weigh. </p>
<p><strong>Ease of Access</strong>: A user of web-published magazine content can access it with far fewer steps than a user of a tablet app-based magazine. With good, responsive web design, the user can also easily read the stories on any device – desktop, tablet, or smartphone. For native app tablet magazines, on the other hand, according to 2012 (slightly old and questionable, but still interesting) GfK MRI iPanel research, four in 10 (43%) tablet magazine readers find it hard to search for magazines they want to read on their tablet, and almost half (48%) say electronic magazines take too long to download. </p>
<p><strong>Ease of Content Updates</strong>: Web publishing need not be tied completely to the long production cycle of a magazine, as a native application-based publication usually is; this makes it possible to publish stories more frequently and keep readers consistently engaged, versus needing to promote rediscovery after a lengthy hiatus in between issues. </p>
<p><strong>Ease of Sharing</strong>: Unlike content found in an app, content on the open web can be easily shared with other potentially interested people in the user’s social networks, making the content a more effective tool for outreach to potential new customers. Popular reader apps like Flipboard – which has more than 100 million active users and adds 250,000-300,000 every day – provide readers with a tablet-magazine-esque experience as they pull in web-based content. (Good related read: <a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/234925" target="_blank">“The Inside Story of Flipboard: The App That Makes Digital Content Look Magazine Glossy.”</a>)</p>
<p><strong>Positive Impact on SEO</strong>: Unlike app-based content, web-based HTML content is indexed by search engines and will, therefore, positively impact the search engine optimization of your website. If you’re creating gated content only for a select group of members or owners, this may not seem like a primary concern; but who couldn’t use some “Google juice” to help them attract new customers? </p>
<p><strong>WHAT DO YOU THINK? </strong></p>
<p>As we said earlier, scrapping the tablet magazine app for the web isn’t <em>always</em> the answer; it depends on what you’re trying to do. Often, if you have the budget the answer is “both.” There are two sides to any discussion and rarely only one right answer. So what do you think? Are tablet magazine apps still amazing? Who’s doing it right? Or are tablet magazine apps on their way out because now the web is just so. much. easier? </p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/content-strategy">Content Strategy</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/digital-publishing">digital publishing</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/tablet-magazines">tablet magazines</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/web-magazines">web magazines</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/digital-storytelling">digital storytelling</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/content-marketing">content marketing</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/brand-journalism">brand journalism</a></div></div>Thu, 30 Oct 2014 19:18:39 +0000Sue Spaight795 at https://www.gsdesign.comContent Marketing: TV Producers Do It With Conflict https://www.gsdesign.com/blog/content-marketing-tv-producers-do-it-conflict
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>There's been quite a bit of talk for a while now about brands acting like publishers. "Brand journalism" is a thing, albeit a thing to which there are valid <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/10/13/why-you-need-to-stop-using-the-term-brand-journalism/" target="_blank">objections</a>, about misrepresenting brands as objective. Brands are creating "news rooms"; publishers are creating custom content studios. "Branded content" is definitely a thing, and one around which there is a great deal of <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/07/09/study-sponsored-content-has-a-trust-problem-2/" target="_blank">confusion and mistrust</a>, particularly when it's in reference to "sponsored content" or "native advertising" content. Likewise, thinking like TV producers, like a media company, etcetera is a thing, and was a major recurring theme at <a href="http://contentmarketingworld.com/" target="_blank">Content Marketing World</a> this year. </p>
<p>So much so that the phenomenal Kevin Spacey - Academy Award winning actor and producer of film, television and theatre - recently starring as Frank Underwood (aka FU) in the Netflix original series House of Cards - was the closing keynote. Did I mention that GS Account Supervisor Chris Krasovich and I were in the *front row* for that? It was most definitely the highlight of the conference and the most inspiring of all the content at the conference about content. This blurry iPhone photo is *not* the most inspiring content but it is proof of FRONT ROW. You're jealous...it's understandable. But we'll share. </p>
<p><span id="styles-3-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Kevin.JPG?itok=N-2EkHf5" /></span></p>
<p>His spine-tingling FU impressions aside, Kevin (we're on a first name basis now) spoke about many aspects of TV production and content marketing.</p>
<p>He spoke about storytelling: "It has always been about the story. The story is EVERYTHING. The device is irrelevant to the story."</p>
<p>He spoke about the importance of truth and authenticity, and about going beyond what is expected.</p>
<p>Mostly, he spoke about giving the audience what they want: <em>control </em>and<em> complexity </em>and<em> conflict. </em></p>
<p><strong>CONTROL </strong></p>
<p>With regard to <em>control</em>, Kevin (Mr. Spacey to you) was mostly referencing the new binge-watching lifestyle that programs like House of Cards, Orange is the New Black and others have made possible. According to a Harris Interactive survey, among US adults who stream a TV show at least once a week, 61% regularly binge-watch (two to six episodes in one sitting). (I'm sorry, but two is *not* a binge. Twenty is a binge.) The majority of binge-watchers don't feel guilty, with 73% saying that they have positive feelings about the experience.</p>
<p>I can relate to that...can you? I frequently refer to Sons of Anarchy as "like a train wreck...I can't stand watching it but I can't stop now." Why are we so glued to these programs? Why is it so hard to tear our attention away? According to Robert F. Potter, PhD, director of the Institute for Communication Research at Indiana University, as <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/04/binge-watching-tv-harmful-to-your-health_n_5732082.html" target="_blank">interpreted by Corrie Pikul in Huffington Post</a>: good "plots, subplots and dialogue require us to pay close, controlled attention; scene changes, even when simple, capture our autonomic attention. Our brain is hard-wired to monitor changes in our environment as a survival mechanism (it goes back to a slight shift in savanna reeds signifying a predator lying in wait), so it's hard for us to tear our eyes away."</p>
<p>There you have it: we are hard wired to be obsessed with these disturbing characters and their twisted stories. This may be a leap of logic (for the sake of making a point that Kevin didn't really make) and I have zero PhD media scientists with which to back it up; however, I hypothesize that giving our audiences more control simply allows them to let go and lose themselves in the story more deeply. They should be able to access it when, where and how they please...not just where we feel it fits best in our content planning matrix. </p>
<p><strong>COMPLEXITY</strong></p>
<p>I love the aspect of complexity, because so often in advertising/marketing/design we universally simplify things. We strive to get it all down to the "one thing" or the "single sentence" or the simplest user experience. Yes, simple is often best and less is so often more; however, there is also a time and a place where a brand will benefit much more from a deeper, more thought-provoking narrative. </p>
<p>Take Chipotle with its original Hulu series <a href="http://farmedanddangerous.com/" target="_blank">Farmed and Dangerous</a>, created by branded entertainment company Piro. They shared their insights in a great <a href="http://contently.com/strategist/2014/06/03/chipotle-said-no-we-want-a-cow-to-explode-an-interview-with-the-men-behind-farmed-and-dangerous/" target="_blank">interview</a> with Contently:</p>
<p>"Storytelling is really a unique and new skill set that advertisers and brands need to master. That is the secret in today’s media landscape of maximizing earned media. It’s really a great story, and word of mouth and social sharing of content is only going to happen if the creative is at the level of mainstream entertainment. The research that came back said that 86 percent of people that started watching watched the whole show, which is huge for any web video, even if you pay to click. But what was really remarkable is that 62 percent of those people actually shared part of the content—either emailed it, or posted something on Facebook about it, or tweeted it. You can’t pay people to click on Hulu and watch the show. You just can’t. Yet hundreds of thousands of people tuned in and watched it and then shared it. By doing a story at Chipotle, we’re actually able to include multiple points. Chipotle might have had about 30 things that they really wanted to communicate about agriculture. Those 30 things are all in the content. Whereas in an ad, you can really only focus on one thing if that’s going to be successful and pop through." </p>
<p>So, sometimes, it is about the "one thing." And sometimes, it's about 30 complex and interwoven things that, together, make a killer story. Both should be considered and both should receive the right investment of time and resources. The fact that it's harder to tell the deeper story is likely to make it that much more valuable. </p>
<p><strong>CONFLICT</strong></p>
<p>This is my favorite. Not because I love conflict (contrary to popular belief, perhaps, I am mostly conflict avoidant), but because I truly believe conflict - not a constant stream of watered-down, smoothed out marketing pablum - is what audiences crave on a deeper level. Yet, as marketers, it is the polar opposite of our natural inclination. We, of course, gravitate towards the shiniest, happiest people and the shiniest product shots. </p>
<p>Kevin's take: "Conflict creates tension, and tension keeps people engaged with your story. This kind of conflict between who we are and what we want to be, and what others may expect of us, is the central thread of the human experience. Look into your own lives and you’ll see that kind of tension everywhere. Our stories become richer and become far more interesting when they go against the subtle order of things to really achieve something different and unexpected.”</p>
<p>Certainly in longer-form content, there's more opportunity to explore conflicts; still, it would be fascinating to see more brands exploring conflict even in their short-form advertising. It would certainly be different, and "authentic." It doesn't have to be interpersonal conflict...it might be <em>intrapersonal</em> conflict; in Kevin's words, the "tension of our own aspirations." His example was Nike, which has made billions off of the conflict between our desire to look good naked and our desire to sit our lazy butts on the couch and eat Cheetos while binge watching House of Cards. </p>
<p><strong>CONCLUSIONS </strong></p>
<p>As a mere agency strategist, I surely don't purport to have all of the answers to how to think like a great TV producer. I just listen to people smarter and more talented than me, like Kevin, then read a lot, and propose some questions that I believe we should ask ourselves while planning and creating: </p>
<p><strong>How can we give audiences even more <em>control</em> over their own consumption of what we make?</strong> How can we make it easier to get the content when, where and how they please instead of how we want to "push it out"? </p>
<p><strong>How can we use more <em>complexity</em> to hold our audiences' attention?</strong> What story points can be interwoven to make a deeper brand narrative? </p>
<p> <strong>What is the underlying <em>conflict</em> in our story that makes it more interesting? </strong></p>
<p>Finally, as Kevin said: <strong>"</strong>The ones who thrive during times of chaos are the ones who make their own rules.<strong>" </strong>How can we make some new rules? </p>
<p>If you want more Kevin (and really, who doesn't?) Content Marketing World just released this highlight reel from his talk. Give it a view here and let us know your thoughts. </p>
<p><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-sans-1,serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: 500;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-sans-1,sans-serif; font-style: italic; font-weight: 500;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-sans-1,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-sans-1,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-sans-1,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-sans-1,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-slab-1,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-slab-1,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 300;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-slab-1,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-slab-1,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 500;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-slab-1,serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700;">BESbswy</span><span aria-hidden="true" style="display: block; position: absolute; top: -999px; left: -999px; font-size: 300px; width: auto; height: auto; line-height: normal; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; font-variant: normal; white-space: nowrap; font-family: museo-slab-1,sans-serif; font-style: normal; font-weight: 700;">BESbswy</span></p>
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</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/content-strategy">Content Strategy</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/brand-publishing">brand publishing</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/branded-content">branded content</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/content-marketing-world">content marketing world</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/content-strategy">Content Strategy</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/content-marketing">content marketing</a></div></div>Wed, 15 Oct 2014 17:10:48 +0000Sue Spaight794 at https://www.gsdesign.comContent Strategy Insights from Confab 2014 https://www.gsdesign.com/blog/content-strategy-insights-confab-2014
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Our clients’ businesses are different and unique – just like their brands, how they speak, and how they present themselves. Developing content to align with both business and user goals is a constant dance to deliver the right content at the right time to the right person. When all is said and done, no one has the absolute correct answer for how content strategy and agile production should coexist, but we’re connecting the dots and moving forward creating content that’s flexible, scalable, and usable in multiple channels.</p>
<p>That said, a part of me was hoping for an “Aha!” moment at Confab Central 2014 in Minneapolis. I wanted to take some clarity back to the team at GS. Instead, a discovery was replaced by careful conversations of content production, copywriting, content strategy, agile methodology, and production tools. </p>
<p>Everyone at Confab was searching for answers to the same questions; comforting for me. A conference highlight was Kristina Halvorson’s workshop, which gave me an opportunity to contextualize the ways GS has been approaching content. Kristina’s presentation reinforced our thinking about how content strategy should revolve around substance (needs and purpose), structure (organization), workflow (creation), and governance (responsibility and decision-making). This basic idea expands through interviews, content audits, creation of messaging and strategy statements, 1-3-6 testing, and workflow charts that help define tasks and responsibilities. There’s always more to learn, yet we’ve made great progress.</p>
<p><span id="styles-2-0" class="styles file-styles large"> <img class="media-image" id="1" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/styles/large/public/Screen%20Shot%202014-07-08%20at%2010.42.05%20AM.png?itok=tkAw7rDO" /></span></p>
<p>Before the conference I had the opportunity to work on a massive global redesign for one of our clients. Our production team rolled out a plan to bring content production into an agile framework. Our intuition proved strong (when compared to Kristina’s advice) as we created primary and secondary messaging for the site and individual pages. This paved the way for content structures that helped develop a content production management tool and gave us the ability to develop wireframes using real content. Our main production process tool was an editorial calendar that went through the different phases of the writing process – these included tone, style, content structures, research, copywriting, review, and editing. With Gather Content we managed content flow between drafts, revisions, and approvals. The assignment and management of those roles and responsibilities is certainly a blog post on it’s own.</p>
<p>A thought-provoking tidbit from Kristina was to establish information architecture early and, if possible, concurrently with the content audit. This resonated with me. It took some time in the early stages of our project for team members to wrap their heads around the many potential content structures. Establishing a base gives everyone a platform to jump from. As the team begins to understand the content better, the information architecture will improve.</p>
<p>But enough fluffy language. The important question is what comes first, and an agile project’s starting point is filled with so many unknowns. Kristina didn’t have a clear answer; she even asked Confab attendees who’ve dealt with content strategy and agile to band together. For GS, copywriting and wire framing happened at the same time, and each informed the other as the project went on. Even though we hit a few bumps here and there, we navigated through the changes with iterations and created a final product that was strong and detailed.</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/content-strategy">Content Strategy</a>, <a href="/blog/category/gs">GS</a>, <a href="/blog/category/marketingbranding">Marketing/Branding</a>, <a href="/blog/category/tools">Tools</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/confab">Confab</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/minneapolis">Minneapolis</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/2014">2014</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/convention">Convention</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/content-strategy">Content Strategy</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/core">Core</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/production">Production</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/agile">Agile</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/kristina-halvorson">Kristina Halvorson</a></div></div>Tue, 08 Jul 2014 15:50:25 +0000Carey Peck774 at https://www.gsdesign.comGood Words on Writinghttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/good-words-writing
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>The world overflows with would-be writers. And advice on how to write. Lacking the energy to endure the former, we sifted through the latter. Here are the needles from the haystack in a little game we put together.</p>
<p>One more piece of advice: If you pay good money to have a writer write something for you, don’t rewrite it. Your good money just went bad.</p>
<p><strong><a href="http://gsdesignlabs.com/goodwords/" target="_blank">Match Writer to Advice »</a></strong></p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/inspiration">Inspiration</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/advice">advice</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/writing">writing</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/games">games</a></div></div>Fri, 11 Jul 2014 14:26:57 +0000Jay Sanders775 at https://www.gsdesign.comValidating Principles: Scrolling vs Clickinghttps://www.gsdesign.com/blog/validating-principles-scrolling-vs-clicking
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p><span id="styles-1-0" class="styles file-styles original"> <img class="media-image" style="float: right;;;;;;;;;;;" id="2" src="https://www.gsdesign.com/sites/default/files/touchSwipe.png" alt="Touch vs Scroll" /></span>We base our visual and interaction designs on fundamentally sound principles. These principles consist of things we learned in school, things we personally experienced to be true, and things commonly understood as “best practice” (BTW: “best practice” is tied with “game-changer” as my least favorite industry phrases). These principles eventually become unconsciously baked into everything we do. This is natural and necessary. However, stepping back and re-examining exactly why we do things is an important part of critiquing design. It might “feel right,” but if we can’t articulate why a chosen approach is preferred then the approach should be open for discussion.</p>
<p>The decision about whether to use scrolling instead of clicking in an interface is one such principle I rely on daily in my work. Obviously the approach I take on each design just “feels right” to me, but sometimes it can be a struggle to articulate why. There has been a ton written that compares scrolling and clicking in interfaces (try Googling “<a href="https://www.google.com/#q=scrolling+vs+clicking">scrolling vs clicking</a>”). So I wanted to examine this principle and collect some sound rationale for choosing one over the other.</p>
<h2>Hard Data</h2>
<p>According to a research report put out by ClickTale (<a href="http://blog.clicktale.com/2007/10/05/clicktale-scrolling-research-report-v20-part-1-visibility-and-scroll-reach/">report</a>):</p>
<ul><li>91% of the page views were long enough to contain scroll-bar. Of those, 76% were scrolled to some extent.</li>
<li>22% of the page views with a scroll-bar were scrolled all the way to the bottom.</li>
<li>Visitors are equally likely to scan the entire page no matter the page size.</li>
</ul><p>In an A/B test done by Elastic Path on the redesign of the Official Vancouver 2010 Olympic Store checkout page (<a href="http://www.getelastic.com/single-vs-two-page-checkout/">article</a>):</p>
<ul><li>After only 300 transactions, the winner was clear and we stopped the experiment after 606 transactions. Google Website Optimizer concluded that the single-page checkout outperformed the out-of-the-box checkout by a whopping 21.8%.</li>
</ul><p>In an article titled “<a href="http://boxesandarrows.com/blasting-the-myth-of-the-fold/">Blasting the Myth of the Fold</a>,” Milissa Tarquini notes:</p>
<ul><li>The most clicked on item on the TMZ homepage is the link at the very bottom of the page that takes users to the next page. Note that the TMZ homepage is often over 15000 pixels long.</li>
<li>On the “AOL News Daily Pulse,” you’ll notice the poll at the bottom of the page – the vote counts are well over 300,000 each. This means that not only did folks scroll over 2000 pixels to the bottom of the page, they actually took the time to answer a poll while they were there. Hundreds of thousands of people taking a poll at the bottom of a page can easily be called a success.</li>
</ul><h2>And the Winner is …</h2>
<p>Sorry to disappoint, but even though it’s clear that people do in fact scroll, this data doesn’t suggest that scrolling wins over clicking in all cases. It turns out that the action of clicking has some unique benefits, as well. Here’s what others are saying about both.</p>
<p>According to an article titled “<a href="http://uxmovement.com/navigation/why-scrolling-is-the-new-click/">Why Scrolling is the New Click</a>,” “Scrolling is faster for users than clicking. With mouse wheels and touchpad swipes, users can scroll through content with a flick of a finger. Compare that with clicking, where users have to find the link, read it, target it, click it and wait for the page to load.” The author also goes on to say that by using scroll, users receive content in the order it was designed and keeps them in the reading flow. Clicking breaks that flow and allows users to skip around. In the end, the author concludes, “<strong>It seems that scrolling is better for usability. But clicking is better for analytics and search engines.</strong> As the designer, it’s your job to weigh what’s important.”</p>
<p>In the article “<a href="http://bokardo.com/archives/scrolling-easier-clicking/">Scrolling is Easier Than Clicking</a>,” the author states, “So here is the real difference: <strong>scrolling is a continuation; clicking is a decision</strong>. Scrolling is simply continuing to do what you’re currently doing, which is typically reading. Clicking, however, is asking the user to consider something new … is this new thing the same as what I’m already doing, or something new? Obviously this is a small interaction … but think about it in scale. Hundreds or thousands of decisions taken together add up to real friction.” The author goes on to say, “… consider what you’re asking your users to do. Are you asking them to make a real decision and go someplace else? Or are you asking them to just scroll a little further to see what’s next? Cognitively, it’s easier to move a little where you are than to go somewhere else.”</p>
<p>The article “<a href="http://www.usmangroup.com/life-beyond-the-fold-scrolling-vs-clicking/">Life Beyond the Fold - Scrolling vs Clicking</a>” discusses that clicking is ideal for organizing large chunks of information. “For larger websites, page clicking is a must. We recently had the privilege of re-designing one of Chicago’s most popular online publications, <em>The Chicago Sun-Times</em>. In order to provide an optimal user experience for this site, <strong>it was very important to guide users readers down the right path, without overloading them with information they have no interest in</strong>.” The author goes on to say, “Users will scroll, when given the proper guidance to do so. You do not want to overwhelm someone with too much information, in too little of space. Allowing a design to extend down the page creates nice visual separation. It is very difficult to have a clear hierarchy without some white space between groups of content.”</p>
<p>Usability guru Jared Spool stated in his article “<a href="http://www.uie.com/articles/page_scrolling/">As the Page Scrolls</a>,” “… one of the most significant findings of our research on web-site usability is that users are perfectly willing to scroll. However, they’ll only do it if the page gives them strong clues that scrolling will help them find what they’re looking for.” He goes on to say, “<strong>In the trade-off between hiding content below the fold or spreading it across several pages, users have greater success when the content is on a single page.</strong>”</p>
<h2>Go Forth and Scroll … or Click</h2>
<p>Like everything in life there are pros and cons to both approaches. Every design challenge needs to be evaluated individually. From a usability perspective, my research seems to validate that scrolling is the easier interaction of the two. Paddy Donnelly put it great in the article “<a href="http://iampaddy.com/lifebelow600/">Life, Below 600px</a>”: “Think about the ultimate journey you want (users) to take. Entice them in, make them actively want to scroll and read on, and on, and on. Guide them with your excellent content and let them explore your site. Tell a story with your content. Space it out a little and you will have some happy visitors who actually want to be there!”</p>
<p>When do you use scrolling instead of clicking and vice versa?</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/design">Design</a>, <a href="/blog/category/usability">Usability</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/scrolling">scrolling</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/clicking">clicking</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/usability">usability</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/best-practices">best practices</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/principles">principles</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/recommendations">recommendations</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/user-experience">User Experience</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/ux">UX</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/ui">UI</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/interaction-design">Interaction Design</a></div></div>Thu, 08 May 2014 13:52:21 +0000Bob Prohaska762 at https://www.gsdesign.comWomen’s Business Accelerator Program Coming to Milwaukee https://www.gsdesign.com/blog/women-s-business-accelerator-program-coming-milwaukee
<div class="field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden"><div class="field-items"><div class="field-item even"> <p>Earlier this week, the Think Global Institute (TGI), based in Denver, Colorado, announced it would be bring its<a href="http://www.thinkglobalinstitute.org/city/milwaukee/" target="_blank"> Business Accelerator Program to Milwaukee.</a> This program facilitates economic and social change in communities around the world by inviting local entrepreneurs to participate and contribute in a variety of activites centered around education, support, and empowerment of women business owners.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.thinkglobalinstitute.org/city/denver/" target="_blank">GS participated in the Denver program this past March</a> as guest speakers and mentors. We worked with local entrepreneurs and TGI’s founders – Milwaukee natives Steve Haase and Amy Scerra. GS will sponsor the upcoming Milwaukee program and host group events at the GS office in Milwaukee.</p>
<p>TGI is excited to bring its innovative and unique program to Milwaukee, offering development opportunities and individualized advising services to women entrepreneurs in the business growth stage, including one-on-one consulting, workshops, networking events, access to mentors and subject matter experts, and ongoing support and guidance.</p>
<p>Many of the entrepreneurs who participated in the Denver event created video testimonials detailing their experiences in the program. Here are a few, but you can find all of them on Vimeo:</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92053375" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/92053375">Lori Fenstermaker-Scavado</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user21272221">Pamela Maass</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92102965" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/92102965">Kael Robinson-Live Worldly</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user21272221">Pamela Maass</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/92057935" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://vimeo.com/92057935">Erika Taylor-Taylored Fitness</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user21272221">Pamela Maass</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>
<p>The program starts the week of July 28. Applications are currently being accepted through the <a href="http://www.thinkglobalinstitute.org/apply/">Think Global Institute Website</a>. At the time of submission, Steve or Amy will be in contact with you. </p>
<p>Please pass this along to any businesswoman who you think could benefit from this program!</p>
</div></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-categories field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Categories:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/category/gs">GS</a>, <a href="/blog/category/inspiration">Inspiration</a>, <a href="/blog/category/marketingbranding">Marketing/Branding</a></div></div><div class="field field-name-field-blog-article-tags field-type-taxonomy-term-reference field-label-inline clearfix"><div class="field-label">Tags:&nbsp;</div><div class="field-items"><a href="/blog/tag/strategy">Strategy</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/tgi">TGI</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/business-accelerator-program">Business Accelerator Program</a>, <a href="/blog/tag/women-business-owners">Women business owners</a></div></div>Fri, 18 Apr 2014 14:58:13 +0000Jim Broennimann761 at https://www.gsdesign.com